The approaches described in this section could be pursued, but are not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, these approaches are not known to be prior art and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Directional sound is a technology that concentrates acoustic energy into a narrow beam so that it can be projected to a discrete area, similar to how a spotlight focuses light on a particular area of interest. When sound waves are focused in this manner, these sound waves behave in a manner somewhat resembling the coherence of light waves in a laser. When a sound beam is aimed at a listener, that person senses the sound as if it is coming from, for example, a headset or earphones. When the listener steps outside of the sound beam or when the sound beam is redirected, the sound disappears.
Directional sound has many advantages over conventional headsets or earphones, which are typically required to listen to audio. Headphones and/or earphones can be uncomfortable when used over a long period of time. When headphones/earphones are intended for use in a public setting, hygiene problems can arise in that these accessories may become unsanitary or unattractive to listeners. Moreover, headphones/earphones are subject to wear, which can diminish their useful life and increase maintenance costs. Furthermore, there is the potential for abuse and damage from vandalism to these accessories.